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Saturday, April 30, 2016

There is something about Brown Sugar that has completely stolen my heart over the past few months. It adds so much depth to recipes. When it is added to cream cheese? Watch out! Yummy stuff right!?Roo is a busy boy in the spring. He has multiple sports which keep us running to soccer and t ball several nights a week for a few weeks as the end of soccer overlaps with the beginning of t ball. I always try to have a snack ready when Roo gets home to hold him over until we make it back home for dinner. A few weeks ago, I tossed some soft pretzel bites in the oven when an idea hit me. This idea turned out to be the yummiest thing to happen in terms of dipping for a long time!

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Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Dip

by Sara April-30-2016

A sweet, creamy dip that is perfect for soft pretzels, cookies and crackers!

Ingredients

6 ounces Cream Cheese

2 ounces Water

2 tablespoons Brown Sugar

Instructions

Add 2 ounces of water and 6 ounces of cream cheese to a small sauce pan, heat until thoroughly heated and well blended.Pour into a serving dish and top with brown sugar.Serve with cookies, crackers, soft pretzels, or bread.

Details

Prep time: 1 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 6 mins
It is every bit as yummy as it looks! It is so easy to make and will be perfect for serving at parties! I think this would be great with bread too!

What is your favorite dip? Tell me all about it in a comment.
You might also enjoy this Easy Cheesy Chicken Taco recipe.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Thanks to my friends at Panty by Post for providing me with a sample to inspire this post.

Ladies, I know I am not the only one that sometimes puts my own needs last. Between working, managing our homes, the busy season of raising kids and being a good partner... seriously. Sometimes, the efforts I put into everything leave me drained. I might look halfway presentable at any given moment but under that untucked mom shirt and a skirt or leggings... my poor husband. It is almost always some good old mom panties, you know, the kind you buy in a 5 pack at the grocery store. Not at all glamourous.

Do you end up rocking those kind of panties too? It seems like once a week I think, Sara, girl buy some panties. Buy something that is pretty, something that has been missing from your wardrobe since you became a mom... but like I mentioned earlier, life moves fast and that to do list gets longer and longer. Making a trip to the mall for something I desire? Please. I will always desire time at home more than time at the mall.

I found a service that is a ton of fun and is helping me stock my panty drawer with so not my normal mom style panties!

Panty by Post is a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription service that delivers a great pair of panties to your door each month. With feminine styles and several levels of subscription to meet your panty style wishes, this is something you really want to try! It is a nice way to try new styles, to get something awesome delivered to you and to avoid a trip to the mall!

This is a great idea for a gift for a special lady or a fantastic treat for yourself. Because we are friends, you can tell Panty by Post I sent you when you subscribe and use this code IMNEW15 at checkout to save $15 on your subscription!

I got a really great bordeaux thong from the Signature Line. It is really comfortable, feminine and stylish. It is kinda crazy, but girls, when I started rocking some not my normal mom undies, I felt incredible! My confidence level seemed to improve.

Overall, Panty By Post rocks. This is a cool service that I think you will like as much as I did!

Monday, April 25, 2016

“This post and giveaway were made possible byiConnect and Pampers. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine."

Potty training can be a crazy time in the life of parents and toddlers alike! There are ups, downs, and so many chances to learn during this developmental stage! My little Harper is working on her potty skills! It certainly makes every day an adventure; especially considering she wants to do everything her older brother does... including dropping her easy up and trying to pee outside.

A part of me wants to groan in frustration or maybe cry just a little when something like that goes down. It usually happens moments after I have given Harper a bath, or when I am getting everyone ready to head out for the day. Moms, you know how that is! Last minute incidents and accidents are all part of the adventure that is parenthood.

When those moments in life do happen, I remind myself to keep my irritations to myself. Dr Jana, a potty training expert reminds parents that "It is important to keep in mind that “teamwork makes the dream work,” especially in the case of potty training. You are not only your child’s biggest fan, you are also their potty training coach. Remember to stay calm encourage your little one to not worry and try again!" I always keep her advice in mind and remind myself that we will get this!

Pampers Easy Ups are a great transitional product for parents and kids alike, with fun designs little ones get excited about wearing easy ups, and parents love that Easy Ups help protect clothing and furniture from accidents and offer great overnight leak protection!

My daughter loves the Dora prints on Easy Ups. We both love that there is a fading design to help her learn when it is time to change her pull up. Pampers Easy Ups are available in sizes up to 4/5t to fit children of a variety of sizes!

Please join @Pampers on April 28 from 9-10pmEST as they host a Twitter Party with Dr. Laura Jana, pediatrician, award-winning parenting book author and potty training expert who co-authored to Its You and Me Against the Pee…and the Poop, Too! Dr. Jana will be sharing her tips to help simplify and improve the potty training experience for little ones and their parents. There will be great prizes available and so many chances to share and learn from experts and other parents!RSVP for the Twitter Party Here!

If you are feeling lucky, let me give you another chance to win! One Sweet Silly Sara reader is going to win a great Pampers Prize Pack that includes Pampers Wipes, Pampers Easy Ups and a $25 Amex Gift Card!
This giveaway is sponsored by Pampers and not endorsed by any 3rd party applications, or social media outlets.

Sunday, April 24, 2016

I hadn't thought about the dating scene in a very long time. When I met my husband, my interest in anyone else diminished and I was off the market. Happily paired up. My friends all met great people and followed suit. It seemed like dating was something that wouldn't even be a topic of conversation again until my children were much older.

Life changes, relationships change, and quite a few of my friends have found themselves navigating the waters of this new world of dating. There are so many ways to meet potential mates now! From apps and websites to recommendations of friends and so on.

It is kind of exciting if you think about it. There are a million fish in the sea and now, you can literally cast out your hook and meet all of them in you so desire! The man or woman of your dreams is out there, you just have to turn to technology to locate him or her.

But how do you keep yourself safe in this new world of dating? While we might not want to think it can happen to us, bad things can and do happen to unsuspecting people. One of my gal pals found this out the hard way after meeting a man online and beginning a relationship with him. Several weeks in, he turned physically abusive. It wasn't until after his hands had been on her several times did she realize, this man is a violent offender, with a history of domestic violence.

How I wish I had known about DateScan a few months ago. I might have been able to save my friend from pain on many levels. Now that I do know about it, let me tell all of you, so that if you find yourself ready to test the waters with dating someone new, you can stay safer!

DateScan is awesome for anyone considering a new relationship because Love is Blind. Dating Shouldn’t be.

Let me tell you a little more about the features of DateScan:

DateScan - Check offender registries with a name and touch of a button.

Siren - If you’re ever in trouble, press the Siren button and make yourself heard! It will simulate police Siren.

Dynamic 911 - Fast Dial 911, Dynamic emergency number based on location and background auto snap & alert while on 911. Helps you while travelling.

Privacy - No more spying by anyone because your data is secured in our cloud and no one will have access to it unless requested by law enforcement.

Score - Score shows your commitment to safety. Score is divided in two parts, Daily Point and Extra Point. Daily Point is given one per day if you use DateScan. Extra point is given if you use multiple features in same day. User can see graph of last six-month score. User can share their score with their parent/guardian.

Important Number – All of the important numbers for govt. assistance is just click away.

Emergency Contacts – Send yo ur all emergency contacts text for help with location with just one click.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

A few days ago, Little Miss Harper wanted to help me make lunch. I love her eagerness to help and her interest in learning. But, on this particular day, I wanted to keep her busy and out of the kitchen, as I was in the middle of a project.

I asked her if she wanted to make paper sandwiches while I made lunch, it sounded appealing to her! I had a collection of paper sandwich fixings ready for an occasion like this. I found a yellow glue stick to imitate mustard. Harper was all set to make sandwiches!

To prepare for this activity I had previously cut the following shapes from construction paper

You will need a glue stick. Red or Yellow is fun with this paper food craft, like ketchup and mustard!

As you can see, this activity is completely basic. Construction paper and glue. I offered Harper ample supplies for building sandwiches. To keep her busy and having a lot of fun!

She began by adding mustard to the bread and adding tomatoes.

Next up was cheese!

Harper was completely into this craft. She loved making sandwiches. She added layer upon layer, happily crafting while I made lunch!

My kids both love a good paper food craft! If I find myself with a few extra moments and a pack of construction paper I make little craft bags for occasions like this day. They are always a huge hit with my kids. They have enjoyed making paper cookies, paper pizzas and paper jam sandwiches. These are the best kind of kid food crafts in my opinion because they are virtually mess free and they are really a lot of fun!

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Frequent travelers will know that finding that perfect holiday break is difficult. It’s even more difficult when you have kids and a partner! You don’t just have yourself to please; you’ve got the family to please too.

Boston’s Back Bay

This in mind, if you’re scouring the web trying to choose your next city break location, Boston is worth a look! There are a ton of parks, riverside seating areas, and it’s right next to a harbor. It’s an outdoor type city, and with the warmer weather approaching, that’s exactly what you and the family want.

That being said, if you want to visit, you can’t go wrong with anytime of year. Winters in Boston are generally clear, perfect for those glistening afternoon walks with the kids. It’s home to a lot of major festivals throughout the seasons, from chocolate tasting to cruises. You can truly relax here at any point of the year, and bring that homely feeling with you!

Of course, that homely feeling begins and ends with choosing a place to stay. Many hotels in Boston are right on the waterfront, so you’ll have gorgeous views over the riverside. The city is also packed with American history and beautiful architecture, so you can get a little history lesson along with your stay!

In terms of finding accommodation, you aren’t short of options. You could check hotels in Boston with Hotwire, or use a local online guide. Because Boston isn’t really aimed at one particular age group, most of its hotels are suitable for all, meaning you can’t go wrong with any choice!

What to do when you’re there!

The bread and butter of any successful family holiday is the activities you get up to on arrival! Thankfully, Boston really does have it all. For the sporty members of your family, you can visit the Fenway Park stadium to cheer and shout for the Boston Red Sox baseball team. For the history lovers, you could browse the John F. Kennedy Museum or walk the Beacon Hill.

The JFK Museum

And, since I’m guessing you’ll want to eat when you’re there, food-lovers will not be left hungry. I know most children never seem to stop being hungry, and Boston can more than cater for these big appetites.

Boston is renowned for its seafood, and there are even conventions and expos dedicated to this! While this type of food isn’t for everyone, especially kids, it can be a good way to let them try something new. Additionally, there are a lot of cafes and restaurants facing the riverside, so you can soak up the sunshine with a lovely view to boot.

America is a magnificent country, with many wonderful places to stay. You’re spoilt for choice with you and your family, and you all deserve a holiday that will create lifelong memories for you all. So when you’re planning the next one, take a look at Boston! You might surprise yourself.

Have you ever taken your family to Boston? Have you ever been yourself? If not, has this post enticed you? Whatever your thoughts, leave them in the comments down below!

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Being a mom of 2 kids under the age of 5, I have a special fondness for online shopping! It is so much easier for me to buy what I want, whenever I want it online than to head out to face the crowds and traffic with the kids. Speaking of those kids, I am fairly sure they prefer online shopping too! The delivery service is exciting for little guys!

Whenever I am shopping online, or in store, I want to make sure I am getting the best price possible on every purchase. Raising a family can be pretty expensive! With smart shopping and cashback programs, my family can save money on the things we buy every day. We can also get a nice little bit of money back with use of Giving Assistant.

What I like about Giving Assistant is that unlike some other cashback programs, Giving Assistant will deposit your funds after you have $5.01 in your account! You can earn cashback from a variety of websites such as Target and JCPenney { JCPenney has a 3% cashback rate! That is awesome!} Starbucks, and Dollar Shave Club to name a few. The concept is simple, before shopping online, see if the retailer you are interested is listed and with a few clicks of a button you will be on your way to saving up to 5% on your purchase.

Up to 5% is no joke, it can add up quickly. From a few purchases, you can earn payouts of cashback on whatever you might be shopping for. If you have not tried Giving Assistant yet, I recommend you hop over and see how you can start saving and earning money back too!

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Is it just me, or do you guys ever get tired of the same old options when it comes to bread? I like bread; I like all kinds of bread, but sometimes, the thought of a boring old loaf of white or wheat makes me groan out of food frustrations! At first, I felt like I was having a foodie meltdown until my son, wise 5-year-old Roo, moaned "Not brown bread again!" When I served him his favorite peanut butter and honey on the same old, same old bread.

Now, sure, we could take a bread break, but come on guys! Bread is an important part of the diet of a growing boy. At 5, his stomach is the size of a dump truck when he is hungry. He needs his sandwiches, and he needs them on something yummy. Come to think of it, the same could be said of me!

Luckily, there is a healthy option for bread on the market that is every bit as delicious as it is nutritious. It is also gluten and wheat free. It is also vegan. I know, gluten, grain and dairy free bread doesn't sound too impressive, but B FREE is not like your average 'health food'.

I knew that Roo and Harp were down with B FREE. As soon as the bread arrived on our doorstep, my kids were frantically picking the shipping box apart. When they pulled the Soft White Sandwich bread out of the box, Little Miss Harp looked at me with a smile and asked, "Make Toast Mommy?" After they gobbled up a slice of toast each, I knew that this bread had to have a pretty good flavor to it. My kids don't go for bland anything. They are kind of like mini-connoisseurs of the fine things in life.

My husband was going to take some convincing, however. He is not as quick to jump on board at the mere suggestion something is good for you. I had the perfect recipe in mind for a quick dinner using B FREE Soft White Sandwich Bread.

When my husband arrived home he greeted me with "It smells great in here!" Within moments, dinner was served. At first, everyone sat down to just a sandwich for dinner and looked at me, probably wondering if I was forgetting something. When the sandwiches were gone, my family was satisfied. The bread is heavy. It is deliciously heavy, without that bloated feeling that sometimes comes with eating bread.

We were big fans of the entire line of B Free bread products. From the bagels to the wraps; the bread to the rolls, they were all good and they made good options for my family. The bread is packed full of nutritious things to fuel growing bodies and brains or to keep grown-ups satisfied by yummy and healthy food!

B FREE Bread is available at Meijer. If you are looking for a gluten and grain free vegan bread, this is one brand you won't want to miss. The long slices and great texture of the soft white sandwich bread are great and this was exactly what my family needed to break the bread slump we were in.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

My kids are too stinking cute. I love their creativity and eagerness to dig into any project and give it their own unique touches. Several times a week Roo will ask to make a craft, similarly several times a week Harper will raid our craft closet and take off with anything she can reach... We now know they like to craft; if you add a good story into the mix it quickly turns from like to love.

A few weeks ago we checked out The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord. I thought this would be a fun book to check out, it also seemed like a good way to explain wasps to Harper and give Roo a reminder to avoid them!

I also hoped that a story about a giant jam sandwich and a cute craft would inspire my son to try something new. Something he has been adamant about not trying, jelly and jam!

In the story, 4000 wasps descend upon a town. They are quite a bother but the townspeople roll up their sleeves and get to work making one giant wasp trap jam sandwich!

The kids found the book entertaining. Roo was not sold on the idea of jam at all. He said "That's not good. That's sick." He was pretty determined that he wouldn't like jelly, nor jam.

Up next we made Jam Sandwiches. My kids go CRAZY for paper food crafts. Like drop everything, We are making a sandwich!? From paper?! Will there be glue sticks involved?

Getting ready, supplies needed

I cut 2 slices of bread shapes in off white paper

I cut 2 slightly larger slices of bread shapes in brown paper

I offered my kids red finger paint and paint brushes

Of course, glue sticks were needed.

Baby Wipes... You will want these!

Instructions

I gave each kid a brown slice of bread and a glue stick

They smeared glue around the brown paper and topped it with the off white paper

That was pretty satisfying to the kids. They really like to glue things!

They were thrilled to see the finger paint and paint brushes!

I told them to paint the jam on their toast. They agreed this was pretty great. Glue and paint after a story? It couldn't get much better!

This was a great activity for the kids. They always want to help me cook, so to create their own food craft was a hit.

After the story and the craft, I made a peanut butter and jelly for Harper, Roo came in and watched me spreading the glob of jelly around. With a very serious face he told me "That is sick. Bleck. No jelly for me please. I will have honey."

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

As a child, I loved Mister Rodgers. His show was an essential part of childhood for many children around the world. When I became a mother, and my kids started watching Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, I felt like a small part of my roots were being passed down to them. We have the dvds, the little action figure guys and the plushies... you can imagine the fuss that was made when my kids got word of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Live coming to our part of the world!

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood is coming to Mansfield Ohio, at the Renaissance Theatre on April 26th for 2 shows, both a matinee and an evening event. Any parent of a preschool age child will want to make note of this event because it is going to be incredible!

Kids are going to be whisked away to Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood to visit the neighbors with Daniel and Tigey, which is quite incredible on its own. Parents will get to experience the magic of a favorite character thru the eyes of their children and take in the sight of the historic Renaissance Theatre!

Tickets begin at $15 and are available at the door and online. The experience of indulging the kids in a live show with wholesome characters is priceless. I firmly believe that exposing young children to performing and fine arts is essential to their development. This is the perfect show to start kids off with. We recently attended the Teddy bear Concert Series at the Ren. I was slightly on edge about the event as my 2 year old doesn't handle movies well, so I began searching for our escape route upon arrival. Much to my delight, Harper was completely engaged with the performance! In fact, every child in attendance was completely engaged.

If you are feeling lucky and would like to attend a performance of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood at the Ren, I have 2 tickets to giveaway! This giveaway is open to Ohio residents that are 18 years of age and older. The giveaway is sponsored by The Renaissance Theatre of Mansfield, Ohio and is not endorsed or affiliated with any social media platforms.

This giveaway will end on April 21st, 2016. The winner will be notified via email and has 24 hours to claim their tickets.

You can also enter a second contest for an additional chance to win! See the image at the top of this post for more info!

Monday, April 11, 2016

My favorite meals to prepare for my family are easy, economical and packed full of veggies. The less time I spend cooking and cleaning up the better. I would much rather play with my kids or read them a story after dinner than spend an hour cleaning up! I would also prefer to have time to listen to my son talk about his school day over cooking!

This recipe for Easy Cheesy Chicken Tacos meets all of my criteria for a great meal! This is so easy to make and you can create this recipe for about $7 with smart shopping!

To begin here is a run down of what I purchased to create this dinner for my family and how much each ingredient cost.

Directions
Cook your chicken in a pan of boiling water when it has reached the recommended internal temperature, remove it from heat, allow to cool to a temperature you can work with and cut it into small chunks.

Cut your onion and green pepper into small chunks

Add salsa, cream cheese, shredded cheese, chicken and chopped veggies to a medium size pan, over medium heat, allow the cream cheese and shredded cheese to melt, stirring several times. Once the cheese is melted you can serve this on soft tortillas for an easy meal your family will love.

Garnish with Sour cream or hot sauce if desired.

I often serve this with a side of Spanish Rice, or a light salad. The best part is this is one meal my entire family loves!

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Summer is creeping up on us. For my family, that means all 4 of us are home for 3 months. Sounds fun right?! It is, if you can take the increased cost of living out of the equation. My water and electric bills sky rocket over the summer, we spend about 3 times more on gasoline in the summer. My grocery bill makes me want to cry. With my husband and son eating all 3 meals at home for 3 months it more than doubles every week. We haven't even got on the subject of entertaining the family, the sports and so on.

This summer, I am going to reign in our spending. I am taking that depression inducing grocery bill on first. I have made it my mission to discover the recipes that taste amazing and are economical too. I am giving them a bonus star if they can be prepared without use of the oven.

This has led me to start a little series over here called the $7 Dinner Series. I will be featuring recipes that you can make for your family for under $7 that will earn cheers instead of jeers for budget cooking!

I love peanut chicken from the Chinese Restaraunt, but taking the family out for dinner every time I crave Peanut Chicken is definitely not budget friendly! Luckily, I came up with an incredibly easy and delicious alternative.

Before you groan at the thought of eating peanut butter coated chicken, let me tell you, this is incredible. It is such a scrumptious combination. If you try it, you are going to like it. I promise!

This meal features fresh veggies and chicken. To give you a run down on the cost

I purchased a 2.5 pound bag of store brand chicken tenders for $5.47 I used 1/2 of the bag for this recipe to feed 4 people. That made the cost of chicken for this recipe $2.74.

I had peanut oil on hand.

I used about 1/3 of a cup of peanut butter this would add about 45 cents to the price of dinner.

Asparagus was on sale for 99 cents a pound.

Sliced mushrooms were on sale for $1.09

I used about 1/3 of a stick of butter which would add about 30 cents to the price of dinner.

That brings this meal for 4 to $5.57.

My husband says it is even better than take out, and seriously I couldn't go out for Peanut Chicken solo for $5.57!

Sunday, April 3, 2016

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Walmart and Pampers Premium Care Diapers.

When I became a mother, I had all of these ideas. I thought I knew exactly how the adventure would go... after all, I had 9 months to plan it before my son was born. Fast forward 5 years. Now I have 2 kids! And life is busy. Sometimes I lose track of the adventure I had planned. I also lose track of a lot of other things. Sometimes, you need to be reminded by a friend, or a company that feels like a good friend after all these years to evaluate your adventure in Motherhood and to make a #MothersPromise.

Pampers reminded me to do just that. For a few days, I pondered various promises I could make to my little ones. I could promise to always cook dinner, but, let's face it, Dominoes delivers and sometimes that is the only way dinner is going to appear on our table! I could promise to always do their laundry, but that would be a lie... I am fortunate that my husband takes care of washing the laundry.

No promise needed to be different. My promise needed to be something really important. Just like my children are to me. I thought very hard over this. What would I want to really promise these amazing little kids?!

My Mothers Promise came to me one day as I was sipping a latte. I Promise to Take Time to Savor the Moment, just like I was savoring my delicious drink. So many days, I am rushed from one task to one activity, I barely have time to sit for lunch sometimes. The reality of that makes me sad. It opened my eyes. These moments pass quickly. We only get them one time. With that in mind, savor the moments with the kids! And make all of those moments in a diaper comfortable for your baby. Pampers Premium Care is the starting step to a lifetime of loving moments.

A few months ago, I was checking out this article based on a study on happiness. It offered several suggestions on how to live a happier life. There was one suggestion that intrigued me. It was super simple. The fragrance of vanilla is often associated with happiness. It enhances sensations of joy and relaxation. With that, I decided to take the plunge into my search for happiness not only in my personal self but also in my home. I started with a vanilla candle from Jackpot Candles.

First, I know, vanilla candles are the first step to happiness? You might be thinking that Silly Sara really does sum it all up. But, think about this, you guys.

When you have had a long day and you want to relax, do you light a candle? That is one of the first things I do once my kids are sleeping. It softens the atmosphere of any room and it smells nice! The gentle flickering of the flame seems to soothe my weary soul. So, it just makes sense on my path to happy to light a few candles. If the scent of vanilla can help me with joy, happiness, and relaxation, then I am all for trying it.

Imagine lighting a candle that helps you to chill and knowing that sooner or later a fun surprise is going to pop up in the melted wax? Imagine opening that little foil pack surprise to find a pretty ring, necklace or pair of earrings awaiting your discovery? I don't know about you but a pretty surprise always makes me smile. Smiling and happiness go hand in hand!

I really loved my experience with Jackpot Candles. My candle was shipped in a lovely jar, the fragrance was perfect. Simple. Vanilla. The candle burned evenly without the thick black smoke that some candles put off.
I have had a candle like this before, and I had to wait for a crazy amount of time to get the surprise. My Jackpot Candle experience was different. I burned the candle for about 5 or 6 hours when my surprise peeked out. I didn't have to wait for an eternity to get my jackpot! A week later, my candle is still going
strong! Only about half way burnt!

Every item of jewelry in a Jackpot Candle {100% soy, made in the USA and hand poured!} is valued between $15 and $5000. The jewelry comes with a little tag to help you appraise your Jackpot on the website.

Really it was a lot of fun! I found that the warm aroma of vanilla in my home really did help me to relax. When I can relax, I really am happier. When I am happy, everyone is happy. It kind of goes with that saying "Happy Wife Happy Life." If you want to be a happier wife, get her a Jackpot Candle. I, of course, vote for a Vanilla fragrance.

I got a really cute necklace in my Jackpot Candle. I have not appraised it yet, because I like it, regardless of how much it is worth!